Centrifugal relay



Jall- 26, 1932- R. F. NAGLE' n CENTRIFUGAL RELAY Filed April 22, 1929INVENTOR: R. F. //a 716/ Patented Jam 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICERONALD FRANCIS NAGLE, F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA., ASSIGNOR TO T'HEUNION SWlTCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, 0F SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATIONOF PENNSYLVANIA c nN'rnIrUGAL RELAY Application led April 22,

My invention relates to electrical relays of the centrifugal type, andhas for an object the provision of novel and improved means forselectively operating one contact or another according as thecentrifugal device revolves in one direction or the other.

I will describe one form of relay embodying my invention, and will thenpoint out the A novel features thereof in claims. In the accompanyingdrawings, Fig. 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partlydiagrammatic, showing one form of relay embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a top plan view, partly sectioned, of part of the relay shown inFig. 1. YFig. 3 isa fragmentary view illustrating the operation of aportion of the relay shown in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters'refer to similar parts in each of theviews.

Referring first to Fig. l, the relay comprises an alternating currentelectric motor.

M having a rotor v51 and two stator windings 3 and 4. One of the statorwindings 3 is constantly energized from the secondary 2 of a transformerT. the primary 1 of which is supplied with alternating current from asource not shown in the drawings. The other stator winding et isconnected with the transformer secondary 2 through a pole-changer P,whereby this winding is supplied with alternating current of onerelative poiarity or the other according as pole-changer l) is in oneposition or the other. lt follows that the rotor 5 will revolve in onedirection or the other according as pole-changer P is in one position orthe other.

The relay iurther comprises a centriiugai device C which is operated bythe motor This device involves a spindle f5 which is mounted to rotateon a verticai axis and is constantly connected with the rotor 5 of motorM. The spindle 6 is provided with a piurality of yokes such as 'i' and*if* in which the centrifuge arms such as 8 and 8 are pivotally mounted.These arms are provided with the usual weights l() and l0, and with theusual roliers 9 and 9 which coact with. a groove lla in a block ll. donrnailed in the block 1l by means of a bali bearing l2 is a 59 member13, which member is therefore con- 1929. Serial No. 357,214.

pivotally mounted at 18 arid 18, respectively, in fixed supports 19 and19, respectively. Arm 16 is biased by a counterweight 2O to swing incounterclockwise direction, and arm 16ais biased by a counterweight 20ato swing in clockwise direction. The inner or `adjacent ends of thesearms are provided with vertically disposed slots 17 and 17,respectively, so located as to be in the paths of the pins 15 and 15a,respectively, when the centrifuge member 13 is in its lowest position.Each contact operating arm carries a Contact spring 2l arranged to coactwith a fixed contact member 21a, and a second contact spring 22 arrangedto coact with a xed contact member 22a. lt follows that when the contactoperating arms are unaffected by the centrifugal device, each Contact22--22a is closed and each contact 21---213t is open.

The operation of the relay is as follows: lNhen the motor M is at rest,the centrifuge block 11 and the associated member 13 will be in theirhighest positions. The pins 15 and 15a may be in the positions in whichthey are shown in Fig. 2, or one of these plus or the other may projectinto its 'associated slot 17 or 17a, but the positions of these pins areimmateriai, because in any event the Contact operating arms i6 and 16awill be in their normal positions in which they are shown in thedrawings. l will now assume that the motor M starts to rotate in suchdirection that the centrifuge block 11 rotates in clockwise direction asviewed in Fig. 2. rlhis block will carry with it the member 13 until thepin 15a enters the slot 17 and the arm 23 engages the side of the ,arm16a. Further rotation of the member 13 will then be prevented, and asthe speed of the centrifugal devlce increases,v

the member 13 will be moved downwardly, so that the in will swing thearm16iin counter-cloc ise direction, as viewedin Fig. 1, with the resultthat the associated contact 22-22* will be opened and the associatedcontact 21-21 will be closed. The pin 15 is then, of course,entirely'disassociated from arm 16 s'o that this arm and' the contactsoperated thereby remain in their normal positions. n Y v If now themotor M comes to rest and starts to revolve in the opposite ldirection,pin 15 will enter slot 17 in arm 16, with the result that this arm willbe swungin clockwise direction against the biasing force exerted bycounterweight 20, so that the conta'cts operated by arm 16 will bereversed. During such operation the arm 16* and contacts associatedtherewith will remain in their normal positions.

Rela s embodying my invention are' particularg7 well adapted for use astrack re ays in railway signaling systems applied to railroads havingalternating pro ulsion current. In 'such cases, the propu ion current isusually of a lower frequency than the track circuit or signalingcurrent, so that if the l motor M is improperly energized by propulvthat the motor M is thus energized by cursion current,.it will revolveat a lower speed than when it is energized by si aling curf rent. Onereason for making thi; 17 and 17* in the form of slots is to preventoperation of the relay contacts in the event rent of the propulsionfrequency. Referring to Fig. 3, 1n the event of energization of motor Mby propulsion. current, the pin 15 will move downwardly to the lower endof slot 17 but will move no further because the speed of the motor Mwill not be such as to create suicient torque on arm 16 or 16 to liftthe counterweight 20er 2'0". This operation of the motor will thereforehave no effeet on the contacts. f v I When the'motor is operated bycurrent of the signalin frequency, however, .the centrifuge mein rs 11and 13 will be moved farther down, with the resultthat the pin 15 willengage the lower end of the slot 17 and will move the arm 16 to theposition shown in dotted lines in' Fig. 3, this movement being suicientto reverse the contacts operated by the arm 16. y

The centrifugal device C may be so designed and proportioned that whenit is at rest th effect of the weights 1() and 10 is suilici posit'on.If this is undersirable, however,

the me effect maybe secured by suspending the block 11 and the member 13by means of a wire 24 and a spring 25, thereby relieving the weights 10andlO of the necessity for restoring the rotating parts ofthe Vdevice totheir initial positions. The wire 24 is attached to the upper en d ofthe stem 14, and

apertures t to hold the block 11 in its highest i inasmuch as this stemrotates through 'only' a ,portion of a complete turn, it follows thatthe ltorque exerted by the wire 24 and the i sprin 25 is negli 'ble inso. far as the opera-f tion ofthe rela is concerned.

Although I- ave herein shown and described only one form of relayembodying my invention, it is understood that various changes andmodifications may be madey and movable away from said position by thecentrifugal action of said device, said member being free to rotate withrespect to said device but coupled thereto by a slip connection, twooperating arms one for each of said contacts and each having a slot, andtwo pins carried by said member one of which enters the slot in one armor the other of which enters the slot in the other arm according as saidmember turns in one direction or theother.

Y 2. A relay comprising a centrifugal device rotatable in oppositedirections, two contact operating'arms each biased to one position andeach disconnected from said device whenl the device is at rest, meansdetermined by the direction of rotation of said device for connectingthe device with one or the other of said arms to move such arm away fromits biased position by the centrifugal action of said device, andcontacts operated by said arms. A 1

3. A relay comprising a centrifugal device rotatable in eitherdirection, and includinla rotatable block moved longitudinally by ecentrifugal action of said device, a member ]ournalled in said block tomove longitudi nally therewith, Said member being free t0' rotate withrespect to s aid block but coutplg thereto by a slip connection, twopins ii l to said .member andprojectingin oppotel i directions, twocontact operating arms eachA biased to one position and each providedwith a hole to 'receive one of said pins according as said member tendsto rotate in one direction or the other when the device starts fromrest, whereby one arm or the other is moved away from its biasedposition due to longitudinal movement of said member, and contactsoperated bv said arms.

4. A relay comprising a centrifugal device rotatable in eitherdirection, and including; member which isA coupled with the dev ice y aslip connection andis movedflongitudinlly away from a. biased positionby the een 'y' ugal action of. said device, two contact arms each biasedto one position and movable away from such by the longitudinal motion ofsaid member when it is connected withthe member, means determined by thedirection in which said member tends to rotate when the device startsfrom rest for operatively connecting the member with one or the other ofsaid arms, and contacts operated by said arms.

5. A relay comprising a centrifugal device rotatable in either directionand including a member which isfcoupled with the device by a slipconnection and is. moved longitudinally away from a biased position bythe centrifugal action of said device, two pins projccting in oppositedirections from said mem ber and disposed in planes perpendicular to theaxis about which the member tends to rotate, two contact arms eachbiased to 4one position and each provided with a hole adapted to receiveone of said pins when said centrifugal device starts from rest wherebyone or the other of said arms will be moved away from its biasedposition due to longitudinal movement of said member according as saiddevice is rotated in one direction or the other, and contacts operatedby said arms.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

RONALD FRANCIS NAGLE.

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